The Storm Before The Calm
by facefreak
Summary: The team finally puts an end to Christopher


Author: Facefreak   
Rating: PG-13   
Summary: Sequel to After The Honeymoon. The team puts a stop to Christina's brother.   
Warning: Violence. Hurt/Comfort.   
  
The characters from the series 'A-Team' and any other characters used from television and film belongs to their relevant owners and is used here only for pleasure (and what sweet pleasure it is!) and not for profit. The same applies to any song lyrics used in the stories. Any similarities with real life characters or situations are unintentional and coincidental (and wishful dreaming!). Christina Peck and Christopher are creations of the author of this story. Characters are used from Dukes of Hazzard and The White Shadow.   
  
The Storm Before The Calm   
  
Face had taken Christina home and sedated her so she could get some rest. Murdock, Hannibal and B.A. were filled in on the details of Christopher's threatening note.   
  
"Hannibal, we've got to get him. I can't stand to see her like this. She's normally the happiest person in the world. But right now, she's a basket of nerves". Face said with his hands on his hips.   
  
"Don't worry, kid. We're going to make him pay for doing this to her. But first, we've got to come up with a plan". Hannibal paced the floor hoping an idea would come into mind.   
  
"I'm gonna make that sucker pay for what he did to my lil' sister" B.A. barked.   
  
They all knew how he felt. They were feeling the same way. Murdock had retreated into his own little world. Hannibal felt responsible. Face was overwhelmed with mixed emotions of anger, love and sympathy. He only wanted his wife to be normal again. 'This wasn't supposed to happen. How am I supposed to protect her?' he thought.   
  
One month later....   
  
Face was on the couch drinking coffee and reading the newspaper as he did every morning. The rest of the guys were down in the basement. B.A. was working out with the weights; Murdock and Hannibal were watching television while playing pool. Christina was getting dressed in her bedroom when the telephone rang.   
  
"Hello"   
  
"What do you want?" she asked quietly into the phone.   
  
"I want you to leave me alone."   
  
"No. I'm not going to meet you anywhere" she said as she sat down on the bed closely watching the bedroom door.   
  
"You're not going to do anything."   
  
"How do I know you're telling the truth?" she asked.   
  
"Okay, okay. I'll meet you at the auditorium in ten minutes" she said.   
  
She hung up the phone and sneaked out to the studio. When she got inside the auditorium, her brother was waiting there for her.   
  
"You better have come alone" he said in a strong deep voice.   
  
"Don't worry. I sneaked out. When Face finds out, he's gonna kill me" she said.   
  
"Not if I do first" Christopher said as he pointed a gun at his sister.   
  
"Ain't you forgetting something?" she asked.   
  
"Like what?" he asked.   
  
"If you kill me, you don't get the money. My husband does." The words escaped her mouth before she thought about it. 'What am I thinking telling him that? He'll kill Face now'.   
  
"That just means that I'll have to kill him too".   
  
Just then Christopher's gun was fired. A bullet ripped into Christina's left side and part of her stomach. She held her hands over her stomach and felt the blood fill her hands as she collapsed to the floor. 'I'm sorry Face' she thought to herself.   
  
  
Back at the house............   
  
Face got up to go to the bedroom to check on Christina. When he opened the door she was gone. He searched the house for her but could not find her.   
  
"Has anybody seen Chris? I can't find her" Face asked the others. Just then the telephone rang as he walked back into the living room.   
  
"Hello" Face said as he answered the phone.   
  
"WHAT?" he shouted in disbelief. The rest of the team was now in the living room listening closely to Face's one-sided conversation.   
  
"I'm on my way," he said as he hung up the phone.   
  
"What's going on?" Hannibal asked, fearing the worst.   
  
"It's Chris. She's been shot."   
  
They all got in the van and B.A. drove them to the hospital in record-breaking time. They immediately went to the emergency room and found the admitting desk.   
  
"Christina Peck. Where is she?" Face demanded.   
  
The nurse pointed to one of the exam rooms that were divided by curtains. Face started to search every one of the dividing rooms when a doctor stopped him.   
  
"You're not supposed to be back here." The doctor said while pushing Face back.   
  
"My wife. She was brought in here a little while ago with a gun shot wound and I demand to see her" Face said pushing back.   
  
"Name?"   
  
"Peck. Christina Peck. Where is she?" Face was not backing down.   
  
The doctor then softened his tone and said, "Follow me". He led the team to the last exam table in the large room.   
  
"Your wife is in critical condition, Mr. Peck. The bullet is lodged inside of her and we need to operate."   
  
Face became weak in the knees at this news.   
  
"I'll need your signature to perform the surgery," the doctor said as he handed a clipboard to Face.   
  
Face signed the paper and then asked "Can I see her?"   
  
"Just for a minute. She needs to be taken to O.R. right away".   
  
Hannibal, Murdock and B.A. went and waited out in the lobby for Face.   
  
Face walked into the area where Christina was and saw her lifeless body. Her eyes were closed until he took her hand in his. He felt the tears run down his cheek. She opened her eyes slowly and saw her husband sitting there beside her.   
  
"Face?" she asked weakly.   
  
"I'm right here, baby."   
  
"Where's Hannibal, Murdock and B.A.?"   
  
"They're in the waiting room. They're real worried about you."   
  
"I'm going to call Bo and them while you're in surgery and let them know what's happened."   
  
"Don't call the boys, please. They'll only worry."   
  
"Why? Don't you won't them to know?"   
  
"They'll try to catch the first plane out here and there's no sense in that. Promise me you won't call."   
  
"I won't call. I promise."   
  
"I guess you're wondering why I was at the studio," she said as she gasped for air.   
  
He stood up and turned around with his hands on his hips.   
  
"I don't understand," he whispered.   
  
"I didn't have a choice. I'm sorry."   
  
"What do you mean you didn't have a choice?" his voice rose in anger.   
  
"He said he was going to kill you if I didn't go" she said as she watched him. Her voice was quivering.   
  
"And you believed him?"   
  
"Not at first".   
  
"But?"   
  
"He said he had a rifle pointed at your heart."   
  
Face stood there amazed.   
  
"You've never been that naïve before. Why now?" he asked.   
  
"He told me that he would get blood all over your baby blue shirt."   
  
This statement caused his face to turn white.   
  
"What?" he whispered.   
  
"It was either me or you. I chose me."   
  
The doctor interrupted them and announced, "It's time for your surgery, Mrs. Peck".   
  
Face held on to his wife and softly said "I'll be waiting for you when you get back. Just remember that I love you from the depths of my soul". He leaned down and kissed her as she said, "I love you, Templeton".   
  
"Mrs. Peck, I'm afraid you can't wear your wedding rings into surgery. You can have them when you get out" the doctor said. She pulled them off and handed them to her husband.   
  
"I'll put them on you just as soon as you get back. I promise," he said as he held on to them for dear life.   
  
The nurses led Face out to the lobby where the rest of the guys were waiting. Face filled them in.   
  
He was pacing back and forth holding her wedding rings in his hands.   
  
"Why was she there anyway?" B.A. asked.   
  
"Because Christopher had a rifle pointed at my heart. He told her he would kill me if she didn't go. He even told her what color of shirt I have on". The guys looked at each other and decided right then that they would have to be more careful about security at the house. Everyone's life depended on it. Christina was proof of that.   
  
  
After the surgery............   
  
The doctor found Face and the others in the waiting room next to the operating room. Face was pacing back and forth.   
  
"Mr. Peck, could I speak to you for a moment in my office?" the doctor asked.   
  
Face followed the doctor into his office.   
  
Murdock watched intently. The door was open but he could not hear what was being said. He saw the doctor telling Face something. He saw Face bend over and vomit in the doctor's trashcan. The doctor helped Face sit down as he talked to him some more. Face looked pale like he just heard some bad news. 'Oh no. Not Christina' Murdock thought. Face walked back to the waiting room where the guys were waiting for him.   
  
"Face?" Murdock asked.   
  
"Christina's going to be okay."   
  
"But?" Hannibal asked sensing something was wrong.   
  
Face sat down as he felt his knees weaken again.   
  
"She was seven weeks pregnant" Face said as he put his head in his hands.   
  
The guys looked at each other in astonishment.   
  
"He killed our baby, Hannibal. He killed our unborn baby." Face said as he went into Hannibal's arms. Hannibal held him while he cried.   
  
"She didn't even know and now I have to go and tell her. How am I supposed to do that?" Face asked as the tears ran down his face.   
  
Murdock held him as B.A. slammed his fist into the closest wall.   
  
The nurse came out in the lobby and spoke up. "You can see your wife now, Mr. Peck".   
  
Face started to tremble as the emotions flooded his mind. He walked into Christina's room and saw his wife lying there asleep.   
  
He sat down beside her and placed her wedding rings back on her hand as more tears filled his eyes. She felt his hand and opened her eyes.   
  
"I'm okay, Face. Don't cry," she softly said.   
  
"Sorry. How ya' feeling?" he asked as he dried the tears.   
  
"Not too bad. Maybe they'll let me go home soon," she said with a small smile.   
  
She noticed something in his eyes that wasn't there before the surgery. He was hiding something from her.   
  
"Face?"   
  
"Hmm?"   
  
"What's wrong?"   
  
"What makes you think something's wrong?"   
  
"I can see it in your eyes. You've got something to tell me, but you don't know how."   
  
The tears started flowing from his eyes again.   
  
"Am I gonna be okay?"   
  
"The doctor said you're going to be fine."   
  
"What is it then?"   
  
Face whispered "You were seven weeks pregnant."   
  
"Pregnant? I was pregnant?"   
  
He nodded as the tears fell again.   
  
"Were? Christopher killed our baby?" she asked as she began to tremble.   
  
He nodded.   
  
"It's not fair. He killed my parents. He killed Salami. He killed Nicky and now he's killed our baby. Why?"   
  
"I don't know. But I do know that he's going to pay for doing this to us."   
  
  
After Christina was released and sent home, she started thinking of ways to get Christopher back in prison. She was lying in bed deep in thought when Face came in and sat down beside her on the bed.   
  
"Hi" he said smiling.   
  
"Hi."   
  
"You okay?"   
  
She smiled and said "Yeah. I'm just thinking of a plan to get rid of Christopher."   
  
"The only thing you should be thinking about is getting better," he said while pulling the covers up over her.   
  
"I can be the bait. I can lure him to the studio and then grab him."   
  
"There's no way that I'm going to let you get anywhere near him again. Get some rest," he said as he kissed her.   
  
Face went outside where the rest of the team was sitting outside by the pool.   
  
"How is she?" Murdock asked.   
  
"She's in there thinking of some way to capture Christopher. She wants to go to the studio and be the bait so we can catch him. Can you believe that?" Face replied.   
  
"Actually, that's a pretty good plan" Hannibal said while pulling out a cigar and lighting it.   
  
"Absolutely not. This is my wife we're talking about. He's beat her up, shot her and killed our baby. And now you want her to be the bait so we can get him. Are you insane?" Face could not believe what he was hearing his colonel say.   
  
"We'd be right there, watching her all the time. There's no way he could hurt her."   
  
Murdock looked at B.A. who looked at Face and said "Let's give it a try. We've got to make him pay".   
  
After about an hour of talking, they finally convinced Face to go along with Christina's plan.   
  
When Christina was well enough, they went over every area of the plan many times. Face wasn't sure this plan would work, but he wanted Christopher to pay for what he had done. 'I really would like to see this guy dead, but then I'll be in prison and be separated from Christina. I've got to do what's best for us, not what I want.' He thought.   
  
They got all the weapons and set up early that morning in the auditorium. They had to be somewhat discreet due to security at the studio. Christina told security that they were going to be rehearsing for a movie. That way they wouldn't be suspicious.   
  
Hannibal sent Murdock up on the catwalk with a machine gun and a set of binoculars. B.A. was sent to the right side of the stage hid well behind the curtains. Face, armed with two handguns, was placed behind the piano hidden in a storage box. Hannibal stayed behind the curtain on the left side of the stage. Every area of the stage was covered well.   
  
Christina sat down at the piano and began to play. Hannibal and B.A. were impressed. They had never heard her play before. 'She's pretty good. Face really got lucky this time. He's due some good in his life. Looks like he really did good with this one' Hannibal thought.   
  
She played for over two hours before Christopher was heard coming in the back door of the stage. Everyone was in place so Christina just kept playing. When he came into view, she pretended to be startled.   
  
"Christopher. What are you doing here?" she asked.   
  
"I came to finish what I started," he said as he picked her up by the neck.   
  
"I'm tired of this, Christopher. Either leave me alone or kill me. Quit torturing me" she said.   
  
Face felt himself begin to tremble after hearing that statement come out of his wife's mouth.   
  
"Hmm. What should I do? Either way I get to watch you suffer" Christopher said.   
  
She waited for a move from her brother. Murdock watched patiently through his binoculars from the catwalk.   
  
Christopher took a gun out of his jeans and pointed it at his sister. Hannibal motioned to B.A. to sneak up behind Christopher and take his gun.   
  
"My husband might have something to say about that" Christina replied. That was Face's cue to come out of the box. B.A. had now reached Christopher and Face came out of the box with his gun in his hand.   
  
"She's right. I've got plenty to say. You're going to prison for good this time. If you ever hurt my wife again, I'll kill you," Face said. B.A. grabbed Christopher and a struggle began between the two. Hannibal and Murdock came to help B.A. Face stayed with Christina as B.A. punched Christopher. Christopher landed on the stage floor and grabbed Hannibal's gun. He aimed at Christina and before he could shoot, Face shot him in the chest.   
  
Christina looked at Murdock who was squatted down checking Christopher's pulse. Murdock looked up at Christina and shook his head no. 'He's dead' she thought. She felt herself getting light headed and then passed out. Face caught her before she fell on the floor.   
  
"Christina?" Face asked as he took her face in his hands.   
  
She didn't move.   
  
"Chris. Wake up, baby," he said once again.   
  
She slowly opened her eyes and saw a very worried Face staring at her.   
  
"Are you okay?" he asked as he helped her to her feet.   
  
"I'm fine. Can I go home now?" she asked.   
  
"Sure, baby. I'll take you home right now." With that, he drove her home and got the couch nice and comfortable for her with blankets and pillows. She slept the rest of the day until Face picked her up and carried her to bed. Then she slept all night.   
  
  
Face watched his wife sleep. He reached over and gently caressed her hair. He woke her up, but he couldn't help himself. She turned over toward him and opened her eyes to find him smiling ever so loving at her. She smiled back and him and softly said "Good Morning". He kissed her and said "Good Morning".   
  
"How do you feel?" he asked.   
  
"Not bad considering what we've been through. I'm just glad it's over."   
  
He noticed something in her eyes. "But?"   
  
"I never wanted him dead. That's crazy, isn't it? After all he did, I still didn't want him to die."   
  
Face traced her soft curves with his fingers and said "You're not crazy. You're only human and he was your brother. He was a lousy brother, but he was still your brother. I understand why you feel the way you do. You're a compassionate person and that's why you feel like you do. There's nothing wrong with that. I think that's special."   
  
She moved closer to him and wrapped herself in his arms as he kissed her.   
  
"You really think I'm special?" she asked sincerely.   
  
"Yes, I do. You're everything to me and I love you from the depths of my soul". He kissed her and they spent the rest of the morning making love.   
  
The End


End file.
